Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to Lincoln Park, IL?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for MDW–MDW. At 27 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

41m

Distance

27.3 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 39m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → MDW 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Lincoln Park, IL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

Lincoln Park, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and MDW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 50m

50m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Homewood 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Lincoln Park, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Homewood 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Chicago Union Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 14m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0100

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Train Station (CHK6) → Lincoln Park, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m drive

To CHK6 — Chicago Train Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	41m	2h 39m	1h 50m	1h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Markham, IL to Lincoln Park, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.